this man spent hours trying to rescue his car here in s what is it like deeming with this much snow? >> a lot of agony. a lot of back breaking. >> reporter: mother nature is wreaking havoc in the skies. today alone, close to 700 flights were canceled. in the past 48 hours? nearly 3,000. on new york's long island, this southwest airlines plane skidded off the run way, getting stuck in the mud. 129 passengers evacuated safely. >> tower southwest 4695. we just made your day very exciting, at least ours is going to be. we just tack sied off into the grass. >> reporter: right outside the snow zone, be you still in nature's path, seabright, new jersey. today, the streets flooded again. and back here in syracuse, crews have cleared many of the main roads, moving these mountains of snow, but tonight, the fear, as the temperature drops, the slush turns to ice, making travel even more difficult. authorities say if you don't have to be out here, stay home. david? >> john schriffen leading us off tonight in syracuse, new york. i want to bring in the chief meteorologist harvey leonard. you were t